Sustainable development in the electricity sector - the examples of France and Great Britain

It has been put in evidence that 85 percent of the energy consumed by humans comes from fossil fuels. This statement pointed out one of the most important problems currently faced by humans. The generation of energy depends on the use of fossil fuels. The problem which appears is that these fuels cannot be used longer in this way. Indeed, fossil-fuels are running out and it will take millions of years to completely restore the fossil fuels that we have used in just a few thousand. The problem can be explained by the fact that fossil fuels are non-renewable sources of energy. The concept of sustainable development appeared at the end of the 1980s and offered a new vision of how governments, companies and people have to think in terms of development. The emergence of this new concept is truly a revolution. It starts from the Principe that economic development can no longer continue in the same way, that is to say without taking into account its consequences. The primary objective of this concept is to make people, companies and also governments aware that thinking today about what tomorrow will be is something essential. Around 20 years have passed since the emergence of this concept and it is now time to evaluate the results.

[...] The last part of this report will now focus on the comparison of the analysis of the case of the UK and France concerning the use of renewable energy, concerning the adoption of the concept of sustainable development in the sector of electricity. Part The comparison of the findings The purpose of the dissertation was to highlight the different factors in France and in the UK which motivates the development of the sustainable development in the electricity sector. First of all, both countries have their own current situation. [...]

[...] Chapter The electricity sector in France France is the second largest producer and consumer of electricity in Europe and has the largest generation capacity. At the end of 2006, the installed capacity of all electricity generation facilitied in France was about 116.2 GW. Electricity generation for the same year was about 559.1 TWh compared to 478.4 TWh domestic electricity consumption. The French industry is characterized by the fact that domestic production is provided in large majority by the government. Indeed, the leader of the electricity industry in France is a public company which name is EDF. [...]

[...] The objective of sustainable development in this sector is to promote the use of renewable energy and on the contrary, reduce the use of fossil fuels. In France, the share of electricity consumption which comes from renewable energy represents 13% in 2007 (IFEN, 2008). Note that the European average is 14% and the target set by the European Commission is to achieve a 21% in 2010. This target has been formulated in the Directive 2001/77/EC. According to the ministry of the ecology and the energy, the sustainable development and the town and country Planning (2007, March), “each adjudicator authority has to take into account the sustainable development objectives during the ordering”. [...]

[...] The two previous parts show the different situation on the electricity market in France and in the UK but do not care about the different motivation of those countries in terms of sustainable development in this sector. Three points are approached in this part. First of all, the motivations which conduct to the development of the renewable energy at the European level are pointed out. Then the different motivations which motivate the UK to adopt the concept of sustainable development in the sector of electricity are put in evidence. [...]

[...] Conclusion This report has investigated the different factors which motivate the adoption of the concept of sustainable development in the sector of electricity in France and in the UK by analyzing the current situation of the sector in both country but also, the expectation for the future. The purpose of this file was divided in two parts. First of all, it put in evidence why the electricity sector adopt the concept of sustainable development and then, it shows if the reasons are the same in two countries where the situation in this sector are strongly different. [...]